Cavaliers let chances slip away _ again _ in NBA Finals

07 Juin 2018

JaVale McGee scored six points and Durant added five in a 15-3 Golden State run early in the third quarter that produced the Warriors' first lead and saw it grow to a team-best 69-64. The Warriors have a 123.6 offensive rating in two Finals games, shooting 38.9 percent from three-point range.

With the Cavaliers knowing their backs were against the wall, it was expected that they would come out of the gates flying in Game 3.

"We all know what he's capable of and how he helps this team", Warriors forward Draymond Green said. So, same wing, different location.

"But you definitely tip your hat".

"I mean, you guys ask me what is the difference between the Warriors - you guys asked me this last year, what was the difference between the Warriors the previous year and this year, and what was my answer? He's an assassin. That was one of those assassin plays right there". The Cavaliers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Friday games, 4-2 ATS in their last 6 vs.

From the moment Kevin Durant signed with Golden State two summers ago, the debate over who is the Warriors' alpha dog has raged: Stephen Curry or Durant? "He's one of the best players that I've ever played against, that this league has ever seen".

Before leaving Game 3 with an injury, Iguodala has scored 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting, had 3 rebounds and 3 steals in 37 minutes.

Durant had 11 points in the run and grabbed all seven Golden State rebounds in the opening quarter.

In the fourth, seemingly neither team could wrestle control of the game away the other side. We're not playing to achieve a certain record.

After Curry starred in Games 1 and 2, the reigning NBA Finals MVP took over Game 3. He even had the highlight play of the series, a shot (which was really a pass) off the backboard to himself that he rebounded and viciously dunked. The last sweep in the Finals was San Antonio over Cleveland in 2007 in James' debut trip to the championship round.

This is the benefit Durant provides to the Warriors. He returned from the locker room to finish, hitting 8-of-16 from the floor and 5-of-10 from 3-point range in a 24-point performance. The last, and the only player to win the award while falling short of embracing the championship trophy was Jerry West nearly 50 years ago. "You know if you relax, they make you pay, and making you pay could cost you a game", James said.

"You look at it, they've got four Hall of Famers on their team in Klay, Dray, Steph and KD".